A list of prior patents which may be of some general interest, although it is noted that some of them are not from the field to which the present invention pertains, is provided below:
Patent No.6,547,3256,517,1536,481,7916,394,5436,272,6836,224,1526,209,9536,105,1686,056,3556,055,6866,012,1896,012,1845,988,7425,956,7665,941,5995,781,9465,711,1695,662,3785,652,9605,466,5055,437,0615,112,1045,026,1154,891,4544,885,2004,883,7014,698,8624,396,2274,241,458D 479,938D 477,744D 473,037D 462,221D 462,182D 448,914D 388,998D 329,248D 313,723D 313,528D 313,527D 313,526D 313,525D 312,550D 312,549D 294,099
Products which presently exist on the market focus on infants. Some of the makers also sell toddler versions, but they are often too small to fit children older than about eighteen (18) months. This difference in sizing requires that a parent purchase additional bunting(s) after their child has outgrown the first bunting. The following are examples of infant and toddler versions of the same product:
“BUNDLE ME®” bunting from JJ Cole                “BABY FOOTMUFF”        
The buntings, on the market and which may be prior art, usually require that a child's feet be enclosed within the bunting. While this is useful for an infant, it is problematic for older children who are often wearing shoes or boots or other “street” footwear and may wish to have greater freedom of movement. In addition, with older children their shoes are often dirty which means that the interior of the bunting is soiled each time they put their shoes in it.
Aesthetic features on buntings are primarily limited to color choice. Differences in materials, patterns and textures apparently do not readily exist in the USA market; some examples are known in at least the UK, but they apparently are not sold in the U.S. market.
The present invention is designed to provide a much better, more adaptable in use, blanket/bunting system for baby and child strollers and the like than that achieved in the prior art.